Auto Insurance in Hanahan – 8 Discounts Drivers are Unaware of

Beginners to comparison shopping online may find purchasing the lowest-priced Hanahan auto insurance is not as easy as it seems.

You need to shop coverage around on a regular basis since insurance rates change quite often. If you had the lowest price a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is a lot of bad advice regarding auto insurance on the web, but we’re going to give you some great ideas on how to find cheap auto insurance.

If you have a policy now or are just looking to switch companies, you can learn to reduce the price you pay and still get good coverage. Pricing affordable coverage in Hanahan is simple if you know the tricks. South Carolina consumers just need to understand the best way to compare price quotes online.

Hanahan Auto Insurance Comparisons

Comparing auto insurance rates is a ton of work if you aren’t aware of the fastest way to get free quotes. You could waste time driving to local insurance agents in Hanahan, or you can stay home and use the internet to get prices fast.

Many insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace where prospective buyers send in one quote, and every company returns a competitive quote for coverage. This saves time by eliminating form submissions to every company. To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

One minor caviat to comparing rates this way is buyers cannot specifically choose which insurance companies to receive prices from. If you wish to select from a list of companies to compare rates, we put together a list of auto insurance companies in South Carolina. Click here to view list.

It doesn’t matter which method you choose, just make sure you use the exact same deductibles and coverage limits with every price quote. If you are comparing different values for each quote it will be impossible to determine the best price in Hanahan.

Can you really save that much by switching?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance from the likes of State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings if you switch your coverage to them.

How can each company make the same claim?

All the different companies can use profiling for the right customer that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk might be profiled as over the age of 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that “sweet spot” is entitled to the best price and as a result will probably save when they switch companies.

Consumers who do not match this ideal profile will have to pay a more expensive rate which leads to the customer not buying. The ads state “customers that switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that kind of money. That is how companies can truthfully claim big savings. Because of the profiling, you need to get quotes from several different companies. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will give you the biggest savings.

Don’t overlook these eight discounts

Auto insurance companies don’t always publicize every discount in an easy-to-find place, so we break down both the well known and the harder-to-find ways to save on auto insurance. If they aren’t giving you every credit you deserve, you are paying more than you should be.

• Auto/Life Discount – Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy life insurance.
• Good Student – This discount can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. The good student discount can last up to age 25.
• E-sign – A few companies give back up to $50 for buying your policy online.
• College Student – Children who attend school more than 100 miles from home without a vehicle on campus may qualify for this discount.
• Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
• Claim Free – Drivers who don’t have accidents can save substantially as compared to drivers who are more careless.
• Payment Discounts – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
• Multiple Vehicles – Buying coverage for multiple vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, it doesn’t quite work that way.

Auto insurance policy specifics

Having a good grasp of your policy can help you determine which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be confusing and coverage can change by endorsement.

Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists do not carry enough liability coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/50/25), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage is very important.

Collision coverage – This pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You have to pay a deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision coverage protects against things such as hitting a mailbox, driving through your garage door, sustaining damage from a pot hole and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. Drivers also have the option to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.

Liability coverages – This provides protection from damages or injuries you inflict on a person or their property by causing an accident. Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability can pay for things such as legal defense fees, pain and suffering, bail bonds and funeral expenses. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but you should buy as high a limit as you can afford. South Carolina state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy more liability than the minimum.

Insurance for medical payments – Med pay and PIP coverage kick in for short-term medical expenses such as rehabilitation expenses, dental work, X-ray expenses and EMT expenses. They can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance plan or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers both the driver and occupants as well as if you are hit as a while walking down the street. PIP coverage is not available in all states and may carry a deductible

Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision) – Comprehensive insurance coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things such as falling objects, damage from getting keyed, a broken windshield, damage from flooding and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the market value of your vehicle, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Keep this in mind

People who switch companies do it for a variety of reasons including extreme rates for teen drivers, denial of a claim, delays in responding to claim requests and even high prices. Whatever your reason, finding a new company is actually quite simple.

The cheapest auto insurance can be purchased from both online companies and with local Hanahan insurance agents, so compare prices from both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance providers do not offer online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

When trying to cut insurance costs, make sure you don’t skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. There have been many situations where drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while still protecting your assets.

More tips and info about auto insurance can be found at the South Carolina Department of Insurance website. Consumers can find disaster information, find out industry alerts, and learn about specific coverages.